The present invention relates generally to testing and cleaning removable media drives and utility cartridges therefor, and more particularly to a utility cartridge used in association with computer readable program code to perform testing and cleaning operations on a removable media drive such as a tape drive.
As the amount of information grows with advent of information technology, there is a greater need for businesses to backup information they generate and gain. Backing up data primarily involves duplicating computer files to facilitate recovering lost and/or damaged data and to store critical, yet less frequently used, data for future reference. For some businesses, data backup is a legally-required procedure. Therefore, it is critical that the integrity of the data stored on the backup media must be kept intact so that the recovered data is as good as the original.
Magnetic tape is a very commonly used type of removable media to backup data of file servers, database servers, workstations, and other critical information for businesses. Magnetic tape is used since it offers unparalleled cost-per-density ratio and an ever-growing storage capacity. Magnetic tape cartridges may be of the single-reel type, which comprises a single reel for supplying and taking up the tape, or the dual-reel type, which comprises two reels for supplying and taking up the tape. Examples of the single-reel type of tape cartridge include digital linear tape (DLT), linear tape open (LTO), and IBM 3480/3490 cartridges. Examples of the dual-reel type of tape cartridge include digital audio tape (DAT), 4 mm or 8 mm, and Sony AIT cartridges.
Because of the contact made between the media and drive head during the backup operation, there is a problem with wear and tear and contamination on both the media and the drive head. Thus, it is absolutely necessary to clean the drive head at predetermined intervals and to dispose of tape media after being used so many times. Nevertheless, many failures still occur during backup and restore operations which may be attributable to defective or damaged tape media or a dirty drive head. If drives were maintained properly to prevent such failure, it would be much easier to identify and solve problems that cause backup or restore failures.
Typically, when a backup or restore failure occurs at a customer site and a general diagnostics program determines that either a media cartridge or the drive is to blame, there is no simple way a customer or even a service technician can determine which is really the problem. In most cases, a service technician simply replaces the suspected drive at a replacement cost of thousands of dollars and sends it back to the manufacturer just to make sure the technician doesn""t have to return to the customer""s site. If the actual problem simply involved defective or damaged media or a dirty drive head, the repair could have been much more simple and cost considerably less.
Thus, it would be generally desirable to provide a customer with a system for testing and cleaning a removable media drive so that the customer can easily diagnose and possibly remedy problems involving defective or damaged tape media or a dirty drive head. Such a system would provide the customer with a guaranteed readable multi-purpose utility cartridge in combination with computer readable program code to initiate testing and cleaning operations. The utility cartridge would preferably include both computer readable magnetic storage media and non-magnetic cleaning media. In addition, it would be most preferable if this system tested more than simply the functions of the drive head.
While the present invention is specifically adapted for use with a tape drive of the type which utilize tape cartridges, it is to be understood that the testing and cleaning system described herein may be adapted for use with other types of removable media drives such as, for example, CD read/write drives, DVD read/write drives, or removable hard drives.
The present invention is directed to a system for testing and cleaning a removable media drive. The system may comprise a utility cartridge adapted for use by the removable media drive which includes computer readable magnetic storage media attached to non-magnetic cleaning media which is adapted to clean the drive head(s). The system may also comprise a computer usable medium (which may be firmware embodied within the removable media drive) having computer readable program code embodied therein for performing utility operations on the removable media drive using the utility cartridge. Code may be included for initiating a testing operation on the removable media drive utilizing the computer readable magnetic storage media. Code may also be included for initiating a cleaning operation on the drive head utilizing the non-magnetic cleaning media. The utility cartridge may comprise a housing which has either one or two reels for supplying and taking up the media. The computer readable magnetic storage media may comprise a first section for performing a write/read/compare operation thereon, a second section for performing a written data standards operation thereon, and third and fourth sections for performing these operations subsequent to a cleaning operation.
Accordingly, the code for initiating a testing operation may include code for initiating the write/read/compare operation as well as code for initiating the written data standards operation. The write/read/compare operation involves writing a first set of test data by the removable media drive on either the first section or the third section of storage media, thereby creating a first set of written data. Then, the first set of written data is read by the removable media drive and compared with the first set of test data. The written data standards operation involves reading a first set of standards data on either the second section or the fourth section of storage media, thereby creating a first set of read data. The first set of standards data is representative of varying levels (e.g., upper and lower limits) of written is data standards for the removable media drive. Then, the first set of read data is compared with written data standards on the computer usable medium.
The removable media drive may comprise a cartridge memory reader. Thus, the utility cartridge may comprise a computer readable device having predetermined cartridge information embedded therein which is adapted to test the operation of the cartridge memory reader. The computer readable device may also be adapted to test the integrity of the connection between the cartridge memory reader and a processor utilizing the computer usable medium. Accordingly, the code for initiating a testing operation may include code for performing a cartridge memory reader operation, which involves reading of said computer readable device by said cartridge memory reader.
The present invention is also directed to a method for testing and cleaning a removable media drive. The method comprises the initial step of inserting a utility cartridge into the removable media drive. At any time subsequent to the initial step, a testing operation may be initiated on the removable media drive using the computer readable magnetic storage media, and a cleaning operation may be initiated on the drive head using the non-magnetic cleaning media. After the cleaning operation is performed, a testing operation may be re-initiated on the removable media drive.
The present invention is also directed to a method for providing a system for testing and cleaning a removable media drive. This method comprises providing a utility cartridge having computer readable magnetic storage media and non-magnetic cleaning media therein. The next step of the method involves providing access to a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for performing utility operations on the removable media drive using the utility cartridge. The utility operations comprise at least one testing operation and at least one cleaning operation.